# Long Ashes



## m3guy (Sep 26, 2009)

This might belong in the questions too stupid to ask thread but how does one keep a long ash on their cigars? Also does a very long ash affect the taste of the cigar? Today I smoked a Padron Anniversary 1964 Imperial Maduro. I had ashes that were over 2 and half inches each time it fell off. I was trying my best to get them to be longer but both times it fell around 2 and half inch mark. I was wondering if there was a trick to getting longer ash or if it's just the way I smoke. Also it tasted a bit stronger that the other Imperials I have had. I wanted to know if this was usual with long ash smokes. Thank you for your responses.


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## tlempke (Jun 3, 2009)

From my understanding and from reading the length of the ash is a product of how well the cigar is rolled, the better it is rolled the longer the ash will become. As for affecting taste, I have not really noticed a difference between having the ash on or not. Guess it is in the eye of the beholder. Hope that helps.


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

You could always do what churchill did to intimidate his opponents in meetings. That is, stick wire or a splint up the middle of the stick to make the ash stay on. :roll:LOL.


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## Big Dawg (Sep 1, 2006)

m3guy said:


> This might belong in the questions too stupid to ask thread but how does one keep a long ash on their cigars? Also does a very long ash affect the taste of the cigar? Today I smoked a Padron Anniversary 1964 Imperial Maduro. I had ashes that were over 2 and half inches each time it fell off. I was trying my best to get them to be longer but both times it fell around 2 and half inch mark. I was wondering if there was a trick to getting longer ash or if it's just the way I smoke. Also it tasted a bit stronger that the other Imperials I have had. I wanted to know if this was usual with long ash smokes. Thank you for your responses.


I'm not one of those guys that gets a woody over having a real long ash on their cigar. However, I do like to keep the ash on as long as it will do so without me having to smoke the cigar on end or some silly way. I do so for two purposes: 1) The ash helps keep the cigar from burning real hot; 2) The cigar keeps lit longer for times when you step away for a little while or are just taking a break from smoking - compared to a cigar that has no ash which is likely to go out relatively quickly after your last puff.


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## BTcigars (Jun 30, 2009)

tlempke said:


> From my understanding and from reading the length of the ash is a product of how well the cigar is rolled, the better it is rolled the longer the ash will become. As for affecting taste, I have not really noticed a difference between having the ash on or not. Guess it is in the eye of the beholder. Hope that helps.


The ash actually does affect the taste. The longer the ash, the cooler the cigar will burn thus producing more and better flavors than a warm cigar that will produce more harsh flavors and tastes.

I usually like to tip my ash at about 1" - 1 1/2" unless I am out side and then I will leave it up to the universe to decide when the ash shall drop.


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## Perfecto Dave (Nov 24, 2009)

If it makes it to an inch that's about all I can take...I'll knock it off and start a new.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

BTcigars said:


> The ash actually does affect the taste. The longer the ash, the cooler the cigar will burn thus producing more and better flavors than a warm cigar that will produce more harsh flavors and tastes.


+1 more on that in a moment.

While I've dabbled in the long-ash game, I'm not a fan. But, I do know how to play it. Start out with relatively tightly rolled cigar of good construction. Be sure you light it with care; gently toast the foot and never allow it to get too hot while lighting. Never draw flame into the cigar, rather, just let the cherry develop, purge gently, then draw. Once you get a good light, lean back and enjoy the smoke. I mean lean back, literally. You have to smoke the stick vertically, so that Isaac Newton remains in your camp. Gravity will help the burnt ash settle towards the head and keep things firm and intact. Keep this stupid technique up for two hrs. Eureka! The 5" ash. meh.

Ash does affect taste. The whole idea of smoking a cigar is to simply get the most flavor out of it. The way you get the most flavor out of something burning is to burn it at its lowest point of combustion. (You don't want to send all those wonderful oils up in smoke, you want to heat them slowly. Think of saute'ing garlic in olive oil and butter.) Anyway, the ash actually acts as a sort of a heat sink, which helps regulate temperature and keep the cherry burning evenly. It helps maintain an even burn and lower temps; rendering a cooler, therefore more flavorful, smoke.

My rule of thumb, is to keep the same length of ash as is equivalent to the RG (diameter) of the cigar, on at all times. If it goes to 1.5x the RG, I get rid of some ash. This has worked well for 24 years.

Hope this helps.


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## fybyoyo (May 7, 2009)

If I want a long ash for a picture or something I keep the cigar vertical (ash up) when holding it and smoking it. One point to make sometimes the ash will fall no matter how vertical you think you have it so be careful when actually taking a puff so you don't end up with ash in your eyes. By using this technique I've gotten cigars that where around 75% of their original length as ash.


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## FiveStar (Jan 7, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> Ash does affect taste. The whole idea of smoking a cigar is to simply get the most flavor out of it. The way you get the most flavor out of something burning is to burn it at its lowest point of combustion. (You don't want to send all those wonderful oils up in smoke, you want to heat them slowly. Think of saute'ing garlic in olive oil and butter.) Anyway, the ash actually acts as a sort of a heat sink, which helps regulate temperature and keep the cherry burning evenly. It helps maintain an even burn and lower temps; rendering a cooler, therefore more flavorful, smoke.
> 
> My rule of thumb, is to keep the same length of ash as is equivalent to the RG (diameter) of the cigar, on at all times. If it goes to 1.5x the RG, I get rid of some ash. This has worked well for 24 years.
> 
> Hope this helps.


What he said :mrgreen:

The last cigar I smoked, I noticed this effect in taste immediately when the ash dropped. Less complexity, more bitter hot resinous smoke. I like the idea of keeping a RG worth of ash on at all times.

How exactly to you break of a majority of a long ash leaving just what you want though? Usually when I tap or even snap the ash off, the whole thing comes off.


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## Big Dawg (Sep 1, 2006)

FiveStar;2782507
How exactly to you break of a majority of a long ash leaving just what you want though? Usually when I tap or even snap the ash off said:


> A sharp knife.
> 
> Just kidding. I just keep it simple - when the ash gets to a certain point, I just tap the cigar and start new.


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## Snomoskier (Apr 15, 2009)

Smoking vertically works but is kinda a waste of time. If you keep a really consistent fast pace to your smoke, you will get long ashes on cigars that are conducive to a long ash. On the other hand, if you let a lit cigar sit for a while and then start puffing again, the ash will fall off shortly thereafter. 

Ive noticed that the flavor does change significantly right after the ash falls off and sometimes for the better. On some cigars I like the flavor better when it is burning hot sans ash but too many hot puffs can turn a cigar bitter. Once the ash forms a little bit though, this effect is cancelled out very quickly. This leads me to believe that there is not much difference in flavor between a cigar with 1/2 inch of ash or one with 2 inches of ash.


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## danmcmartin (Jul 25, 2009)

I sometimes try and get them to fall over the ashtray so they won't fall in my lap. Usually not until they seem to be reaching critical mass. Mostly though I just let them do their thing and if they get long, they get long.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

FiveStar said:


> How exactly to you break of a majority of a long ash leaving just what you want though? Usually when I tap or even snap the ash off, the whole thing comes off.


I smoosh it. It's very technical, but the gist is that I hold it vertically and scrunch it down a little into the ashtray. I just scrunch enough to remove a little ash, so it won't plop off. I do get surprised by spontaneous ploppage occasionally. I let the ash go to 1.5xRG and then smoosh .5xRG off into the ashtray.


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## JamesY (Sep 19, 2009)

You want long ashes? Try an El Baton. Of all the ones I've smoked, I can get the ash to ridiculous lengths. Maybe that's why they taste so damn good.


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## Stinkdyr (Jun 19, 2009)

On my first La Riqqi #5 the ash NEVER fell off.......the entire cigar.

But generally, when it starts to look dangerously long, I will gently roll the ash into a cone shape against the side of my park bench. Trying to keep at least .5" ash on there.


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## drake.c.w. (Feb 7, 2009)

Ash is better in an ashtray than on me-- that being said, keeping a decent ash improves the overall smoking experience like everyone has said. It's pretty unanimous. Also, something that has not been mentioned yet I believe, on the opposite spectrum, ashing too often can make the cherry loose and can simply destroy the structural integrity of the cigar.


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